Please accept my application to test the Six Moons Designs Lunar Solo
Tent. I have read the BackpackGearTest Survival guide, Version 1202,
have mailed my Tester Agreement to Shane, and agree to abide by all
the requirements of this test. If selected I would prefer a heavy
floor although I would be equally happy to test the lightweight option
to give both a fair run.

Personal information:
Name: Rob Patterson
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Height: 5 feet 9 inches (1.6 m)
Pants Size: 30 waist, 30 inseam.
Weight: 150 pounds (68 kg)
Email address: robpatterson5@h... or robpatterson5<at> hotmail
<dot>com
Address: Kingston, Canada.
Date: Nov 1, 2004
Backpacking Background:
I'm an avid backpacker usually with a minimum of 30-40 bag night a
year, and have hiked through most of Canada. Because of a number of
factors I tend to be use heavy to mid-weight gear but am looking at
moving towards lightweight backpacking. Thus far, I've always used
tents, and heavyweight backpacks. I also am an avid white-water
paddler, long distance canoeist, and in the winter ski downhill,
cross-country (skate and classic), climb (rock and ice) and with luck
this winter will learn to snowshoe. More recently I've returned to
school in Southern Ontario and have became an active member of my
University's: Climbing, White Water and Outdoors Clubs which run trips
and seminars every weekend.

Field information
Right now I'm back at school and have joined the White Water,
Outdoors, and Climbing clubs. Where I'll be doing everything from fall
hikes, to road biking, to cross-country and downhill skiing, to even
snowshoeing, as well as rock-climbing in the fall and Ice climbing and
some small Alpine routs into the winter. Add into this Kingston's
infamously windy and wet weather and you run into the ultimate test
area for the tent. Weather wise I'm anticipating a cool wet fall and a
fairly substantial and very cold winter. So it looks like I'll get the
pants to put the gloves through everything from dry windy conditions,
to a wet and rainy fall, and into a very cold windy and snowy winter.
Temperature's should range between 20 C to -25 C (68 F to -13 F).
Terrain wise Southern Ontario and Eastern Québec is densely forested
and moderately hilly, although I'm planning a late fall
backpacking/climbing trip down to the Anarondacks.

If selected for the Six Moons Designs Lunar Solo Tent test, I plan to
evaluate it according to these criteria:
Stormworthiness:
One of my biggest questions about Tarptents is their effectiveness as
a storm shelter. Specifically if selected for this test, I want to
look at how the Lunar Solo deals with heavy rains, or moderate snow
loads in forested conditions. I plan to evaluate this by looking at
how well the Velcro door prevents rain and snow from entering, if
there is any issues with windblown rain through the mesh lowers, if it
is possible to raise and lower the coverage of the sides of the tent,
to what degree the silicon-nylon stretches out under rain, and if
there are any condescension issues with the tent under fully sealed
storm conditions. Also I'm curious to see if the canopy wings and
vestibule provide sufficient coverage that the non-bathtub floor
design is not an issue for heavy rain. If selected I will evaluate
this through about 20 trip nights through the winter and spring in the
forested conditions of Southern Ontario.

Wind resistance:
Along with storm resistance, this is one of the most important
qualities for me in a tent, and if selected, I plan on evaluating the
Lunar Solo's wind resistance in its various coverage options.
Specifically I'm curious how well the modified hexagonical design
deals with wind loading, if it is at all possible for the wind to come
up underneath – carrying it away like an umbrella, if it is possible
to lower the coverage of the sides to minimize this, how well the
Lunar Solo deals with wind catching it with a fully open or
semi-opened vestibule, and how easy or hard it is to sent up the tent
under gusting conditions. Southern Ontario particularly Kingston, is a
great location to evaluate this because of the often windy and varied
conditions associated with having such a large body of water just down
the street. If selected this tent will see around 20 trip nights
during the test period, including a sea-kayaking trip on the famously
windy Georgian Bay if the test goes on into early to mid summer.

Ventilation:
Like storm and wind resistance an important aspect of tent design, if
selected, I plan on looking at how well the tent ventilates and to
what degree condensation is and is not an issue through extensive cold
and rainy weather testing. Basically what I'll be looking for here is
that if the mesh lowers provide sufficient space for air movement,
even in still conditions; if I can raise the coverage of the wings to
promote ventilation, and if the tent design allows for high-low
ventilation.

Internal Space and comfort:
This appears to be one of the major selling points of this tent and if
selected I want to look at how much usable space the tent actually
gives me, how much space there is to spread out and organize my gear
(both in the tent and vestibule), if I can cook in the vestibule, how
comfortable it is to hang out in the tent in both fair and foul
weather, if the mesh cargo pocket is well situated and properly sized
to take small items, how easy it is to get into and out of the tent
proper with its offset door, what the atmosphere inside the tent is
like, and what the view from the huge door is like. Again if selected
this will be tested through around 20 trip days thought the test
period.

Set up:
Basically what I want to know here is how easy is it to set up the
Lunar Solo, focusing on how easy or hard is it to set it up on my own
and in bad weather. Specifically if selected, I hope to figure out
what is the quickest and easiest way to set up the tent after along
day on the trial. I want to look at how well the equalized corner tie
outs work, looking at both their performance and their ease of use; as
well as the performance of the "easy tensioning adjustment", does
pulling on one strap really tighten up the whole pitch? And how easy
is it to tighten her up or loosen things up? As well I want to look at
how well the trekking pole support works, if its possible and
beneficial to raise or lower the tarptent's profile, and if it really
needs, and how the design benefits from, the use of two poles. As well
as establishing all of this I want to look at how the VERY lightweight
tent handles in heavy to moderate winds, as I'm setting it up; and if
its possible to set up the tent with frozen hands or if the pitch is
reliant upon finicky adjustments? If selected I plan to evaluate this
through extensive use thought the winter and into the spring.

So if selected for the test, I hope to answer all these questions
through extensive and frequent weekend use thought the test period.
And I also feel that this test plan is in line with the marketing of
the Lunar Solo, which places it in my view as a lightweight 3+ season
tent for the experienced camper. I plan on using the tent for my
skiing, climbing, snowshoeing, biking (either hanging it or bringing
along a telescoping tarp pole form home) and hiking adventures thought
the rest of the fall and into spring. Overall I'm anticipating around
20 nights worth of backcountry use with this tent, in late fall to
late spring conditions.